There are numerous theories about
potty training puppies. Some have more validity than others. Before starting
potty training, the first question you must ask is, “What are my expectations?”
The question must be asked before you decide if cage training is right for your
dog. For example, if you want your dog to sleep with you in your bed at night
and go to the bathroom on the floor, cage training is probably not necessary for
you. (Yes, there are people out there that expect their dog to behave this way.)
On the other hand, if you want your dog to sleep on the floor and go to the
bathroom outside, cage training will probably help. Obviously there are
variations between and beyond these examples, far too many to address
today.
This article is not here to discuss the pros and cons of cage
training. Think about the options available for your puppy, discuss it with your
vet, and come to your own conclusion. If you think cage training is for you,
read on.
Cage training is not just potty training. Cage training can help
with socialization disorders, minimize boredom behavior, establish boundaries,
and offer a whole host of training opportunities. People are creatures of habit.
People typically get up, eat, go to work, and sleep, all at the same time of
day. Dogs are no different. If we get really crude, we (as well as dogs) go to
the bathroom at basically the same time of day. Cage training allows us to focus
this behavior combined with the desire to stay, basically clean.
Purchase the cage. The ideal
cage should be big enough to allow the adult dog to stand up, sit down, turn
around, and lay down. Cage selection requires that you know how big your
adult dog is, or at least have a rough idea what type of dog you are going to
get. If you are unsure of the ultimate size of your dog, get the next cage size.
Adult dogs are more than happy to have the extra room. Besides cage size, type
of cage is very important. There are plastic cages with small windows and a mesh
style door, commonly known as href="http://www.petmate.com/Catalog.plx?ID-1546&SizeID=6">Vari-
Kennels. Although these kennels are wonderful for travel and short-term
solutions, they are not appropriate for permanent cage training. The best option
for long term cage training, are the open air, wire
cages. They allow free movement of air through the cage and do not restrict
the puppy’s view. These factors will make cage training more likely to be
successful and allow your puppy to be more comfortable.
Placement of the
cage is not something left to chance. The cage should be placed in the room that is
most heavily populated. Puppies are social creatures and want to be part of the
pack. By crating them in a room you commonly are, it gives them that sense of
pack, even if they are in their crate. Some owners believe that placing the cage
in their bedroom is the best solution. The best solution however, is to place
the cage in either the living room or the kitchen.
The kitchen tends to
be a great place for two reasons. One, it is obviously a highly traveled area.
Two, there tends to be a door from the kitchen directly outside. The kitchen
also tends to have a tile, wood, or other easily cleanable floors. Obviously it
is very important to be easily cleanable since, even with cage training, there
are going to be accidents.
At 6-10 weeks of age, most owners
typically pick up their puppy. As stated before, the cages are bought for the
adult size dog, however, puppies should not be given this much cage space. A
board (or boards) inserted and secured between the cage bars will shrink this
space. Please make sure there is nothing that will harm your puppy such as loose
wire they may ingest or sharp points to get scratched on. Again, the puppy
should have just enough room to stand up, sit down, turn around, and lay down.
Do not offer a blanket or pillow to sleep on. Yes, it seems cruel, but the puppy
can (and will) urinate on it and push it into a corner. Your puppy WILL make a
mess in the cage, especially the first couple of days. We want that to be a very
unpleasant experience. Once the puppy realizes they have caused the mess, it is
usually the last mess they make.
As the puppy grows, the board(s) will
have to be moved to accommodate the growth.
Establishing a schedule is
the most important thing to ensuring successful cage training. Once established,
the schedule should be adhered to 7 days a week through the training period.
Training periods vary, but are usually 6 months or more to complete. As they
grow, the schedule can, and should be adjusted, but never completely abandoned.
Several strict guidelines to use as you establish your schedule:
your veterinarian
the day about 4 hours, adjust your schedule accordingly.
urine for 8 hours.
voiding.
training aid.
If you follow these guidelines and adjust as your puppy
grows, you will find crate training to be a very effective method. Puppies will
be less destructive, learn to behave better, and very important, become quickly
potty trained. As with any method of training, there will be set-backs. Take a
couple of steps back in the training and start from there. In no time, you will
be done with potty training and out having fun with your dog.
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